Resources
- Ballotpedia — Details of propositions, who is for it, who opposes it
- CurrentRevolt — a ‘thumbs up’ or a ‘thumbs down’ evaluation
- Community Impact — synopsis, legislative history
- TexPedia: How to Amend the Texas Constitution
- Texas State Law Library/i
Texas Proposition 1, Right to Farming, Ranching, Timber Production, Horticulture, and Wildlife Management Amendment (2023) | HJR 126
Community Impact: This proposition aims to protect landowners’ rights to regulate what happens on their own property and limit state or federal interference.
John White’s opinion: I OPPOSE Proposition 1.
Farming and ranching have been active in Texas since the time of Stephen F. Austin and Jose Antonio Navarro, before Texas independence from Mexico, before Texas joined the United States, and to this day, anyone with the material resources and adequate knowledge has the right to have a farm or a ranch. I sense this proposed amendment is setting the stage for counties to decide the use of private property.
Texas Proposition 2, Property Tax Exemption for Childcare Facilities Amendment (2023) | SJR 64
CurrentRevolt Verdict: SKETCHY
Community Impact: This proposition would allow city and county governments to offer a property tax exemption to child care facilities. Rottinghaus said this would reduce property tax burdens on child care organizations, which many families rely on.
John White’s opinion: I OPPOSE this amendment.
My wife managed three large childcare centers over several years. All daycare centers are for-profit businesses that compete for customers in the open market. Churches that provide childcare are exempt from ad valorem taxes. If daycare centers would be tax-free, why not Ace Hardware stores, Walmart, and a myriad of nail salons. In my estimation, knowing the competitiveness of childcare centers, this amendment would increase the profitability for the owners and investors of commercial childcare centers while increasing the tax burden on all county property taxpayers, commercial and residential.
Texas Proposition 3, Prohibit Taxes on Wealth or Net Worth Amendment (2023) | HJR 132
CurrentRevolt Verdict: I GUESS THIS IS OK
Community Impact: Proposition 3 asks voters to prevent a wealth tax, which is based on a person or entity’s assets, from being imposed in the future. Texas does not currently have any form of wealth taxes.
John White’s opinion: I SUPPORT this amendment.
As Texans continue to assert our state rights and autonomy, I foresee a consumption tax on all goods and services.
According to the State Comptroller, “Texas imposes a 6.25 percent state sales and use tax on all retail sales, leases and rentals of most goods, as well as taxable services. Local taxing jurisdictions (cities, counties, special purpose districts and transit authorities) can also impose up to 2 percent sales and use tax for a maximum combined rate of 8.25 percent.”
Texans pay federal and state fuel consumption taxes on every gallon of fuel. The fuel tax is inherently a consumption tax as is the state sales tax.
Texas Proposition 4, Property Tax Changes and State Education Funding Amendment (2023) | HJR 2
CurrentRevolt Verdict: MOSTLY SCAM
Community Impact: Voters can decide to authorize a $100,000 property tax exemption for Texans’ primary homes; establish a temporary 20% limit on annual value increases for non-homestead property worth $5 million or less; require members of appraisal boards in counties of over 75,000 people to serve staggered four-year terms; and prevent funds allocated for property tax relief from going against the state’s constitutional spending limit.
John White’s opinion: I OPPOSE this proposed amendment.
Property appraisals respond to the dollar needs of the taxing entities: school districts, cities, community college districts, and hospital districts, each informing the central appraisal district of the dollar needs of each. The appraisers adjust properties’ valuations to satisfy the taxing entities’ needs. Inflation of the US dollar is a driving force in appraisals.
As good as the exemption appears to be, the fact is it is inflation that drives up the prices of homes and commercial buildings.
A consumption tax is equitable in that rich folks spend much more than middle-class and poor people.
In each of the economic downturns I have experienced, the home is the first casualty of inflation and unemployment.
Texas Proposition 5, Rename State University Research Fund and Establish Ongoing Revenue Source Amendment (2023) | HJR 3
CurrentRevolt Verdict: SUSPICIOUS
Community Impact: This proposition would replace Texas’ National Research University Fund with the Texas University Fund. Four universities—Texas Tech University, the University of Houston, the University of North Texas and Texas State University—would qualify for the research endowment. Roughly $273 million would be set aside for 2024-25.
John White’s opinion: I SUPPORT this amendment.
Texas Proposition 6, Creation of the Water Fund Amendment (2023) | SJR 75
CurrentRevolt Verdict: OK, NOT BAD
Community Impact: Voters can decide whether to establish the Texas Water Fund, which would support new and existing water projects across the state. The Texas Water Development Board would oversee the new fund.
John White’s opinion: I SUPPORT this amendment.
As Sid Miller has said, “Texas is a state of 30 million people and enough water for 28 million.” The demand for more water grows daily as large populations of ‘refugees’ from other states and other countries stream into the Lone Star State. Water is a major limitation for new industries.
The Texas Water Development Board‘s full-time responsibility is the development of new water resources.
Texas Proposition 7, Creation of State Energy Fund Amendment (2023) | SJR 93
CurrentRevolt Verdict: OK, BUT GETTING SUS
Community Impact: This proposition would establish the Texas Energy Fund, which would finance the construction, maintenance and operation of electric facilities to ensure the state power grid remains reliable. The Public Utility Commission of Texas would oversee the new fund.
John White’s opinion: I SUPPORT this amendment.
Texas Proposition 8, Creation of Broadband Infrastructure Fund Amendment (2023) | HJR 125
Community Impact: Proposition 8 asks voters to authorize the creation of the Texas Broadband Infrastructure Fund, which would help expand high-speed internet access statewide. The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts would oversee the fund.
John White’s opinion: I SUPPORT this amendment.
The novelty of internet connectivity wore off years ago. High-speed internet is now used by everyone, doctors, hospitals, manufacturing facilities, governments, educators, telephones, farmers, and ranchers.
AMENDED 9/12/2023
Texas Proposition 9, Cost-of-Living Adjustments for Teacher Retirement System Amendment (2023) | HJR 2
UPDATED 10/26/2023
TX Dems List Teacher Unions as Key Operatives
Amid an ongoing debate over school choice legislation, two state teacher unions were announced as founding members of a new plan by the Democrat Party of Texas to turn the state blue. Read more.
RELATED: TEXAS DEMOCRATS
ANNOUNCING: Texas Democrats Announce the Official 2024 Coordinated Campaign: Texas Blueprint 10/24/2023
Two teachers unions contributing to the Texas Blueprint:
•American Federation of Teachers – Texas
•Texas State Teachers Association
Read more
CurrentRevolt Verdict: MUST BE NICE
Community Impact: Voters can approve a cost-of-living adjustment for many former teachers. To combat inflation, teachers who retired before 2001 would get a 6% adjustment, those who retired between 2001-2013 would get a 4% adjustment, and those who retired between 2013-2020 would get a 2% adjustment.
John White’s opinion: I OPPOSE this amendment.
First and foremost, this is not a constitutional issue but a legislative issue. Second, inflation plays no favorites. It would be nice for all small business owners and middle-class wage earners to be immune to the ravages of inflation, the cruelest tax of all, but this is impossible.
My four children are all graduates of Rockwall High School. The two younger children were educated in private Church-affiliated schools.
With respect to the cost of public education, I point to the cost of operating public school districts. Over the years of providing systems and services to public schools, I see costly edifices and poor financial practices as two factors contributing to ISD finances in wealthier districts. Meanwhile, in the rural and semi-rural districts, I see good buildings constructed in compliance with the law and industry standards that are significantly less costly to build.
Locally, approximately half of all adult employees in the Rockwall ISD have nothing to do with classroom teaching. Throughout all the years of my public education in Palacios, Texas, the only adult employees not involved in classroom teaching were the janitorial and maintenance staff, the school nurses, the librarians, and the small administrative staff.
Maintenance and Operations of school properties is classic perpetual debt. In a discussion with one of the Rockwall ISD Trustees, I discussed how the district funds roofing replacements.
Modern commercial roofing systems typically have a 30-year lifetime. The bonds — the debt — to pay for new roofing run 30 years. I broached the idea of sinking funds to draw interest in order to pay cash for roofing replacements. I was told, “Oh, we can’t do that because we don’t have enough money.”
Athletics are popular with kids and parents. Athletics are tremendously costly to taxpayers. The local RISD football stadium where I was the announcer for the band and the drill team. It was modest and adequate. After the last big half-billion-dollar bond election, a thoroughly modern stadium appeared with a seven-story press box. There was no tandem improvement in football scores.
Two large charter school systems have been my customers. Their cost to educate students is significantly lower than public schools. A significant difference between public schools and charter schools is discipline.
I agree on paying good teachers well. Reformation of public school financing, including reasonable employment policies and thrift would leave margin to reward good teachers while limiting costs is the way to go.
UPDATED 10/26/2023 I add to my reasons to oppose this proposition. I discovered today this is an initiative of the Texas Democratic Party. This is the only partisan proposition on your ballot. If the two Teachers Unions are listed as supporters one must assume those two unions are contributing Teacher Retirement Funds to the Democratic Party of Texas.
Texas Proposition 10, Tax Exemption on Medical Equipment and Inventory Amendment (2023) | SJR 87
CurrentRevolt Verdict: WHATEVER
Community Impact: This proposition would prevent medical and biomedical manufacturers from paying taxes on their tangible personal property, which the majority of businesses are currently taxed on. Officials said this exemption would strengthen Texas’ medical industry.
John White’s opinion: I OPPOSE this amendment.
Why not forego property taxes for all industries? We cannot because the state (the counties) is funded by property taxes. As with the childcare centers, as more entities become exempt from property taxes, property-tax burden falls onto all other businesses.
Texas Proposition 11, Authorize Bond Issues in Conservation and Reclamation Districts in El Paso County Amendment (2023) | SJR 32
CurrentRevolt Verdict: I HOPE THE PARKS ARE COOL
Community Impact: This proposition would create the El Paso County Conservation and Reclamation District. Various counties and regions in Texas have similar districts, which tax local residents to support the creation and development of water services and other facilities.
John White’s opinion: I SUPPORT this amendment.
Texas Proposition 12, Abolish Galveston County Treasurer Amendment (2023) | HJR 134
Community Impact: This proposition would eliminate the Galveston County Treasurer’s Office. If approved, other county officials would take over the duties of the treasurer. All Texas voters can vote on the proposition, but it only takes effect if a majority of Galveston County voters authorize it.
John White’s opinion: I am INDIFFERENT to this amendment.
Texas Proposition 13, Increase Mandatory Retirement Age for State Judges Amendment (2023) | HJR 107 |
Community Impact: Voters can decide whether to raise the mandatory retirement period from 70-75 years old to 75-79 years old for justices and judges on appellate, district, and criminal district courts.
John White’s opinion: I SUPPORT this amendment.
Point No. 1: We seniors in our elder years are not automatically incompetent. I point to one example of a senior citizen 81 years of age, Benjamin Franklin. At the Constitutional Congress of 1787, the delegates from the 13 states debated fruitlessly over several weeks, unable to “fix” the confederate constitution. Franklin reminded the delegates to what transpired in that same Liberty Hall during the Revolutionary War against Great Britain, rehearsing how they prayed for wisdom from God. Learn about Franklin’s Appeal for Prayer at the Constitutional Convention. If we ‘modern’ Americans are to categorically discount the wisdom of any elected official due to age — Franklin was an elected delegate representing Pennsylvania — we automatically depreciate the wisdom of our elders who are, by no means, mentally incompetent. Such flawed thinking would discount the wisdom of 93-year-old Thomas Sowell, senior fellow of the Hoover Institution. I suggest you visit with your local Sheriff to learn about mentally incompetent young men and women who reside in their county jails.
One benefit to approving Proposition 13 is it will arouse the attention of young leaders who will present themselves to the voters.
Point No. 2: The wisdom of our Founding Fathers, the authors of our U.S. Constitution, recognized only MINIMUM ages for certain elected officials: Representatives, Senators, and Presidents.
- the U.S. Constitution, Article. I, Section. 2 stipulates a minimum age of 25 years for congressional candidates.
- the U.S. Constitution, Article. I, Section. 3 stipulates a minimum age of 35 years for senatorial candidates.
- the U.S. Constitution, Article. II, Section. 1 stipulates a minimum age of 35 years for presidential candidates.
The U.S. Constitution remains the singular most effective governing social contract in human history. The assumption that all senior citizens above 75 years of age are inherently incompetent is a dangerous idea, personally an affront to me, a senior citizen over that age.
Texas Proposition 14, Creation of the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund Amendment (2023) | SJR 74
CurrentRevolt Verdict: OK, ARE WE DONE?
Community Impact: This proposition would create the Texas Centennial Parks Conservation Fund, which would support the creation and improvement of state parks. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department would oversee the new fund.
John White’s opinion: I SUPPORT this amendment.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department does an excellent job of creating state parks and modernizing and improving existing State Parks.
How would the above constitutional amendments be enforced?
County Governments are Departments of State Government
County elected officials are representatives of the State, not the people of a particular county. The duty of all elected county officeholders is to carry out the laws of the State of Texas. State Senators and State Representatives collectively represent the people through legislation and advocacy for residents of their respective House and Senate Districts.
City governments are not extensions of either county government or other state departments. Cities are corporations with their unique laws and regulations operating autonomously under State constraints. What is the word you hear when rural lands or MUDs are added to a city? Yes, they are incorporated into the City. Unlike elected county officeholders, city council members are direct representatives of the residents of the city. City governments are general law organizations that enjoy autonomy from other cities within the limits of the Texas Constitution and the laws of the State of Texas.
John White
Rockwall, Texas
John N. White 
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